Swampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States located 15 miles (24 km) up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population was 13,787 as of 2010.[1] A former summer resort on Massachusetts Bay, Swampscott is today a fairly affluent residential community and includes the village of Beach Bluff, as well as part of the neighborhood of Clifton. It is known for its quiet suburban character and beaches. The town is home to Marian Court College.

Located beside Massachusetts Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Swampscott lies along a mostly rocky shoreline, though there is enough clear shore for five beaches; Phillips which stretches into Preston and is by far the largest beach in town, Eisman's and Whales, Fishermans, and a part of King's Beach, which extends into Lynn. There are several small parks, along with the small Harold King Forest in the northwest corner of town and the Tedesco Country Club which bisects part of the town. The town also has two small ponds, Foster Pond and Palmer Pond.
Swampscott is mostly suburban, with most of the clear land in the northwest corner of town. There are three villages within town, Beach Bluff to the east, Phillips Point to the south, and Phillips Beach inland between the two. The town is centered around Monument Square, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted;[7] which is 4 miles (6 km) south of Salem, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Boston, and 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Cape Ann.

As of the census[17] of 2000, there were 14,412 people, 5,719 households, and 3,986 families residing in the town. The population density was 4,725.9 people per square mile (1,824.4/kmē). There were 5,930 housing units at an average density of 1,944.5 per square mile (750.7/kmē).